NFL Week 17 Picks & Playoff Seeding Predix 2011

By this time tomorrow, 11 of the 12 playoff seeds will have been determined, with only the fourth seed in the NFC and the NFC East Title still up for grabs, as the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. Ten seeds are still up for grabs, with only the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans locked in their playoff spots, but nine teams have already clinched the playoffs (Green Bay, San Francisco, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Detroit in the NFC; New England, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston in the AFC).

It will take about six hours to digress all the scenarios and tiebreakers that come with them, but here is who I think should get in:
(AFC)
1) New England
2) Pittsburgh
3) Houston
4) Oakland
5) Baltimore
6) Cincinnati
Week 18: Cincinnati at Houston, Baltimore at Oakland

(NFC)
1) Green Bay
2) San Francisco
3) New Orleans
4) NY Giants
5) Detroit
6) Atlanta
Week 18: Atlanta at New Orleans, Detroit at NY Giants

Here are this week's predix, and based on all the tiebreaker scenarios, who I think WILL end up getting in.
BIG GAMES OF THE WEEK:
(AFC)
Baltimore Ravens (11-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
and
(NFC)
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (both 8-7)

It's do or die time for three of these four teams (the Ravens are already in, but they could be as high as # 2, or low as # 5), but at least one (Dallas/NY Giants winner) more team will also get in.

The Bengals are 1-6 against teams with winning records (the lone win being against the Titans in Week 9), while the Ravens are going to embark on their fourth straight postseason appearance with Head Coach John Harbaugh and Quarterback Joe Flacco. A Bengals win means they are in. However, if they lose, they need two other teams at least (the NY Jets and either Oakland or Denver) to lose as well.

PICKS:
Baltimore 27, Cincinnati 13
NY Giants 37, Dallas 17

DRAFT WATCH OF THE WEEK:
Indianapolis Colts (2-13) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11)
and
San Francisco 49ers (12-3) at St. Louis Rams (2-13)
For the 49ers, it's win and a First Round Bye they get. For the Colts, it's lose and clinch the top pick in the 2012 draft. However, the Colts have won two straight after reeling 14 straight losses dating back to last year in the playoffs. A Colts win would kill their shot at the # 1 pick in the NFL draft and put Sam Bradford on the hot seat in St. Louis.

PICKS:
Indianapolis 24, Jacksonville 19
San Francisco 28, St. Louis 0

# 1 DRAFT PICK: St. Louis

OTHER EARLY GAMES:
Detroit Lions (10-5) at Green Bay Packers (14-1)
Detroit victorious at Lambeau? If the Packers rest their starters (given the Pack have already clinched Home Field), it is possible.
PICK: Detroit 33, Green Bay 13

Carolina Panthers (6-9) at New Orleans Saints (12-3)
PICK: New Orleans 42, Carolina 34

New York Jets [8-7) at Miami Dolphins (5-10)
PICK: Miami 23, NY Jets 20 (OT)

Buffalo Bills (6-9) at New England Patriots (12-3)
PICK: New England 34, Buffalo 7

Tennessee Titans [8-7) Houston Texans (10-5)
PICK: Tennessee 30, Houston 6

OTHER LATE GAMES:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11) at Atlanta Falcons (9-6)
Raheem Morris, we hardly knew ye.
PICK: Atlanta 35, Tampa Bay 0

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) at Cleveland Browns (4-11)
PICK: Pittsburgh 21, Cleveland 0

San Diego Chargers (7-8] at Oakland Raiders [8-7)
PICK: Oakland 23, San Diego 16

Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) at Denver Broncos [8-7)
Kyle Orton was the starter at Denver at the beginning of the season. This time, he's back at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and he's making it personal.
PICK: Kansas City 28, Denver 23

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (both 7-8]
PICK: Seattle 20, Arizona 19

PLAYOFF PAIRINGS:
(NFC)
1) Green Bay
2) San Francisco
3) New Orleans
4) NY Giants
5) Detroit
6) Atlanta
(AFC)
1) New England
2) Baltimore
3) Houston
4) Oakland
5) Pittsburgh
6) Cincinnati

UPSET PLAYOFF PICK: Either Dallas, Denver, and/or Tennessee

BLACK MONDAY:
Tomorrow is the oft-referred to "Black Monday", where coaches on the NFL hot seat get pink slipped. Black Monday came early in Jacksonville, Miami, and Kansas City this season. What coaches could be gone? Well, find out now...
(GONE)
San Diego- Norv Turner (Turner is gone, no doubt, and GM A.J. Smith will follow Turner out the door as well)
Tampa Bay- Raheem Morris (With Tampa Bay headed to a 4-12 finish after a 4-2 start, changes need to be made in Tampa)
St. Louis- Steve Spagnuolo (This is a gimme)
Indianapolis- Jim Caldwell (Unless they play the Peyton Manning sympathy card)
Minnesota- Leslie Frazier (Could go either way)

(50-50)
Cleveland- Pat Shurmur
Philadelphia- Andy Reid